Its Too Late To Apologize
by quickssalgron13
Summary: Set in season one. Quinn and Puck spend their nights hiding away together, but what happens when in the heat of the moment, Quinn says something she regrets. Something Puck doesn't forgive easily. Will he let her apologize or is it over for them? One shot.


_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**_

**_A/N: rewatching season one of glee results in ideas like this.._**

* * *

It was a late, cold, December night and Noah Puckerman was sat in his truck with the heating turned up as far as it was go. He didn't feel the cold, never had and never would, but he knew that the blonde did. Despite being called the ice queen by most of the school, the mother of his child was ironically very sensitive to cold weather. His truck was hidden away in the shadowed corner of the parking lot of the baseball field, and he was waiting for Quinn to come meet him like she did every night. At school she would act like she hated him, like he was dirt on her sparkly ballet styled flats, but when it was just the two of them, she was simply Quinn. He loved the Quinn she was when she was with him. She was sweet, funny, cute, kind and she was always excited to share things about her day with him. He figured Finn was too much of an idiot to listen to her properly. Part of him felt bad for seeing his best friend's girlfriend behind his back, but then again, was she really Finn's girl? She was pregnant with _his _little girl, his daughter, so maybe Finn was the one in the wrong.

Puck sighed and leant back in his seat, pulling out the one sonogram picture he had of his and Quinn's baby. He knew there were more pictures, a DVD, a recording of her heartbeat. But he didn't have them, didn't get to see them or hear what his daughter's heart sounded like. The most he had was a picture of a tiny, bean like baby and a feel of Quinn's bump here and there when they were making out. She didn't like to talk about their daughter with him and it sucked. And hurt. A lot. He had to put up with Finn whining about how hard it was to take care of Quinn and the baby all day and he'd finally snapped, taking out his anger on the guy that had no idea how lucky he was to have Quinn and her baby. He would do anything to be in Finn's position. Quinn would have found out about it by now and he was no doubt going to get a lecture for it when she showed up, but he didn't care. The baby wasn't a burden and he was sick of people treating her like she was. His daughter was a gift, a chance to do something amazing with his life.

Quinn's little red car pulled up beside him and he sighed, preparing himself for the lecture that was sure to come as the blonde looked around before quickly climbing into the truck with him. Her cheeks were rosy, and he smiled at how innocent she looked. If it weren't for the fact that she was sporting a little bump under her red sweater.

"Hey," Puck offered, seeing in her eyes that she was angry with him. Like that was anything new. She was always mad at him for stuff.

"Why did you do it?" Quinn demanded, her small fists clenched in her lap, her eyes hard and cold. Ah, so she had heard.

"Do what?" He asked, feigning innocence and popping the cap off his lemonade, frowning when she snatched it away.

"Don't act dumb with me. I know you got into a fight with Finn. Why did you do that? He's your best friend," she scowled, keeping hold of his lemonade. She was angry at him for doing that to Finn. What if he put two and two together and figured out her secret? No. She couldn't let that happen.

"He shouldn't have been complaining about you and our baby," he shrugged, turning up the heating. He didn't want her to catch a cold and make her and the baby ill.

"_My _baby," she corrected with a sigh, stroking over her bump as she felt the baby move inside her, her tiny body somehow safely tucked away inside her mother's womb.

"No, our baby, Quinn. Or have you forgotten the night you got pregnant with her?" He asked, arching his brow at her. There was no way she could've forgotten even if she tried. That night seemed to be on a loop in both their minds.

"Finn is your best friend. You have to apologize," she replied, settling back against the seat. She was always so tired these days.

"Why? Should I apologize for sleeping with his girlfriend too? Should I apologize for getting you pregnant? What else would you like me to apologize for, Quinn? Might as well air it all out there, right?" He asked, looking over at her, watching her eyes widen in horror.

"You wouldn't. If you love me as much as you say you do, you wouldn't do that to me," she breathed, shaking her head frantically. "If you loved this baby, you wouldn't."

"I do love you, Quinn, and I love our baby too. You know I do. But this isn't fair now, not to any of us. You expect me to be there for you, but every time I try, you shut me out and refuse to let me help you with anything. You want me to stay single, to not sleep with other women, but it's ok for you to date Finn? To do whatever it is you do with him at night? Tell me how is that fair?" He demanded, turning to face her. "How is it fair to our baby? You're already giving her up, so how do you think she's gonna feel when she eventually comes to find you and finds out that her 'dad' isn't actually her dad? How is it fair to you, to have to keep lying all the time? It's not fair, Quinn."

"You agreed to this. You agreed you would let me do it my way," she argued, tears in her eyes. She could feel this slipping through her fingers and she didn't like it.

"You gave me no choice!" He yelled. "I want to be with you, to be with our baby, to be a family but instead you come up with this crazy lie! It's not working, Quinn!"

"Maybe not for you, but it's working for me, for our baby. Finn is a good guy. He loves me," she whispered, that wide eyed innocence stabbing him in the heart.

"Then why are you sat here in my truck, huh? Why do you climb out of his bed and come back to mine every night?" He demanded, pointing at the bed of the truck which they had used many a time by this point.

Quinn was silent for a moment before she let out a sob, clutching her bump protectively. "Because I want you, too."

"Then why can't we tell the truth? You think I can't provide for you? You're wrong. Here, eight hundred dollars. I can get more, I can get anything you need. He's not the only one that can take care of you and our baby," he told her, pressing a thick envelope into her hands.

"I told you, we're not stealing from the glee club," she whispered, trying to hand the money back to him. Yes, she needed it. Badly so, but it wasn't fair to take from Artie.

"I didn't steal from the cake fund, Quinn. Mr Shuester has that money on lockdown, anyway. I got a job, a real one. I meant what I said, Q. I can take care of both of you. Just give me a chance," he pleaded, refusing to accept the money. It was hers.

"Please, don't do this," she begged, her voice wobbling with tears. "I can't do this with you."

"Why? Why can't you be with me? You love me, I know you do, and you know it too," he frowned, crossing his arms tight.

"I do. I do love you," she whispered, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Then why?" He demanded, his voice raspy and hurt. Why couldn't she choose him for once?

"Because I don't want to raise this baby with the loser that knocked me up! I don't want to be that pathetic teen mom that waits all day in a crappy motel room for you to come home to me smelling of another woman's perfume! I don't want to be that middle aged woman stuck in a dead end job at the grocery store to pay off a divorce to the biggest whore in Lima! I don't want that life! I don't want to be one of those women with the kids that are abandoned and struggle just to put food on the table while you're in bed with every woman in sight!" Quinn screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Puck was silent for a moment as her words hung in the air, before sinking into him, tearing at his heart and twisting his stomach. She thought he was no good, a failure, someone that she couldn't trust to be faithful to her.

Quinn seemed to realise how badly that sounded, as she let out a loud sob and grabbed out at his hands, her tears staining her cheeks. "Oh God, I didn't mean that. I'm so sorry, Puck, I didn't mean that."

"It's fine, Quinn. I'll see you around," Puck muttered, starting the engine, not looking at her. He couldn't believe that was what she really thought of him, of them.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, her hands on her stomach as if shielding their baby from her words. She couldn't believe she'd just said that.

"I'll see you tomorrow in glee club," he replied, looking out of his window and waiting for her to leave.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, leaning across the truck to turn his head to hers, kissing him before leaving his truck, getting into her own car.

Puck drove away from the parking lot, the taste of her tears on his lips.

* * *

"Where's Puckerman?" Rachel asked the next day in glee club, hands on hips. Trust him to be late to rehearsal. Didn't he understand how important this was?

"I don't know. Haven't seen him all day," Artie frowned, wheeling over to sit with Tina. It was sad. He really liked Puck.

"He wasn't at football practice," Finn added, Quinn's head tucked into his neck. It was strange; Puck never missed practices. Not ever.

"Is he even here today?" Mercedes asked, looking to Santana.

"Why are you looking at me? I haven't had anything to do with him for weeks," Santana scowled, her head in Brittany's lap. That made Quinn smile, even though she technically had no right to be jealous anyway.

"Maybe he d-doesn't like u-us," Tina stuttered, her head bowed shyly, her hand in Artie's.

Quinn sighed at that, pulling away from Finn and opening up a textbook, trying to focus on the words there. It wasn't that Puck didn't like them, it was more like he didn't like her.

* * *

"You weren't at glee today," Quinn commented, joining Puck at his locker, her textbook held against her stomach.

"Congratulations for noticing, Sherlock," Puck replied sarcastically, rifling through his locker. He was sure he had put his keys in there.

"I'm really sorry for what I said, Puck. I didn't mean it," she whispered, biting on her lip. She hated not talking to him.

"Great, you're sorry. Are we done here?" He asked, glancing at her for a second before returning to his task.

"I guess so. I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry," she sighed, rubbing her bump as the baby shifted again. She was doing that a lot lately.

Puck didn't answer, grabbing his keys and heading down the hall.

* * *

"Another no show?" Mr Shue asked the next day, seeing the absence of the mohawked teen yet again.

"I'm sure he hates us," Tina frowned, her head on Artie's shoulder.

No, Quinn wanted to say. He hated her.

* * *

"Why didn't you show up last night? I waited for you for over an hour," Quinn snapped, slamming his locker door shut. She was really getting tired of this now.

"Sorry, babe. I guess I was too busy falling into bed with every woman in sight," Puck replied with a smile, quoting the words she had screamed at him. The words that haunted his every thought.

Quinn flinched at that, sighing and nodding. She deserved that. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do to make this better. I didn't mean those things, and I'm so sorry. You have every right to hate me, but please, the glee club needs you."

"No, the glee club needs Finn. Just like you need Finn and the baby needs Finn. I'm sure you'll be fine," he answered, pulling an envelope from his jacket pocket and pressing it into her hand. Just because he was mad at her, didn't mean he wasn't going to help her and his baby.

"_I_ need you," she whispered, quickly hiding the envelope from sight.

"No, you don't," he shrugged, closing his locker.

"Yes, I do. I need you. Please, I'm sorry for what I said and I wish I could take it back because I can't stand not talking to you. I don't have anyone anymore, please don't leave me, too," she begged, tears filling her eyes. "I love you."

Puck was silent for a long moment before he smiled, thrusting his hands into his pockets. "I love you, too. I'll see you tonight?"

"Tonight," she nodded, smiling in relief. She had him back. Everything was right again.

* * *

Puck couldn't keep the grin from his face as he left the school, heading out to his truck whistling a tune. Quinn loved him. Surely that counted for something? Maybe he could convince her to come around to see things from his view, to see they could be a family and that life could be good for them and their daughter. Maybe he should buy something for the baby to give to her with the next envelope of money. Who knew working on construction payed this much?

He froze as he saw Quinn's blonde hair, saw her beautiful body pressed up against the hood of Finn's truck, their lips kissing greedily, her hands clutching at his hair. The sight of her baby bump pressed against Finn made him feel sick. That was his little girl, his little jumping bean. But she wasn't his and neither was her mother. They were Finn's.

Puck headed straight for his truck, which of course just had to be parked beside the happy couple, tugging his keys out of his pocket to unlock it. The couple broke apart at the sound of his truck door opening, Finn grinning at his best friend whilst Quinn flushed bright red, guilt clear to see in her eyes.

"Hey man, do you wanna come over tonight? My mom is working so we could play a little Mario?" Finn asked with a dopey grin, Puck climbing up into his truck.

"No," Puck answered simply, slamming the door shut and starting the engine.

"Oh. Well, should I come over to your place?" Finn offered, confused by his friend's attitude.

"No. Wouldn't want to disrupt the happy family," he smiled before pulling away from the school and driving home.

He should've known Quinn wouldn't really choose him.

* * *

"Puck, it's good to have you back," Mr Shuester smiled as Puck came into the choir room along with the rest of the group.

Puck couldn't help but look over at Quinn, couldn't help notice her proud little smile from where she sat in Finn's arms.

"I have a song, if you don't mind," Puck shrugged, hands in his pockets.

"Not at all, take it away, Puck," Mr Shue grinned, heading over to sit next to Quinn as Puck picked up his guitar.

I'm holding on your rope  
Got me ten feet off the ground  
And I'm hearing what you say  
But I just can't make a sound  
You tell me that you need me  
Then you go and cut me down  
But wait...  
You tell me that you're sorry  
Didn't think I'd turn around and say..

That it's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late

I'd take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you  
And I need you like a heart needs a beat  
(But that's nothing new)  
Yeah yeah

I loved you with a fire red, now it's turning blue  
And you say  
Sorry like the Angel Heaven let me think was you,  
But I'm afraid

It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late  
Woahooo woah

It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah  
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah

I'm holding on your rope  
Got me ten feet off the ground

Puck set his guitar down as he finished, the glee club clapping and applauding him. All but one. The pregnant blonde in the front row got up from her seat in tears, grabbing her folder and running out of the choir room, leaving everyone but Puck staring after her.

"What happened there?" Brittany asked in confusion, looking to Santana for answers.

"Finn, dude, what did you do this time?" Puck joked, sitting beside him with a grin. "Did you forget to bring her a muffin or something?"

"Yeah, I must have," Finn frowned, shrugging and focusing on the lesson Mr Shue began.

Everyone soon forget about the song and about Quinn fleeing the room. Well, almost everyone. Rachel Berry frowned as she leant back in her seat, her legs crossed and her foot bouncing.

The things she had seen in the back of Puck's truck whilst taking her night time run at the baseball field suddenly made sense to her.

* * *

Puck was sat on the bleachers when Quinn found him, knowing from the sound of her flats against the metal that it was her.

"What are you doing here?" Puck asked, tossing another stone out at the field, half hoping it would hit someone.

"Why did you sing that?" Quinn whispered as she sat beside him, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"It summed up my feelings perfectly," he muttered, finding another stone amongst the metal and tossing it out.

"Is it too late for us?" She asked, keeping her eyes on the field as she held her bump. She was wearing a different dress than earlier and he wondered if she had been slushied.

"There is no us. I can't be your secret anymore. I thought that if I agreed to what you wanted, the small bits of your attention that I would get in return would be better than not having you at all. But I'm never really going to have you or our daughter and I can't keep doing this. Not anymore," he sighed, the wind causing her hair to blow against his cheek, her perfume invading his senses.

"I know I haven't been fair to you. Not with asking you to do this or with asking you to go along with this. I never wanted to hurt you, but I know now that I have, and I'm so sorry for that. I wish I could fix things, but I just don't know how. I don't know what to do anymore," she admitted, stroking over her bump.

"I'll still be here for you and for her, money wise. I don't want either of you to struggle or to go without," he told her, chancing a glance at her, her tear stained cheeks making his heart hurt.

"I know you said it's too late for me to apologize but I hope you know that I truly am sorry, for everything," she breathed, closing her eyes for a moment before leaning in to kiss him, stroking along his cheek lovingly. "I love you," she whispered before getting up and walking down the metal stairs, her hair blowing in the wind behind her.

"I love you, too," he mumbled, sighing and getting up, heading in the opposite direction to her. It was done.

* * *

The next day in glee club, Puck could tell something was up. No one else did, apparently, but he did. Quinn was sat at the piano, clearly ready to sing something. He loved hearing her sing but if this was a love song to Finn, he was out of here.

I'm so glad you made time to see me  
How's life? Tell me, how's your family?  
I haven't seen them in a while  
You've been good, busier than ever  
We small talk, work and the weather  
Your guard is up, and I know why  
Because the last time you saw me  
Is still burned in the back of your mind  
You gave me roses, and I left them there to die

So this is me swallowing my pride  
Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night  
And I go back to December all the time  
It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you  
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine  
I go back to December, turn around and make it alright  
I go back to December all the time

These days, I haven't been sleeping  
Staying up, playing back myself leaving  
When your birthday passed, and I didn't call  
Then I think about summer, all the beautiful times  
I watched you laughing from the passenger side  
And realized I loved you in the fall  
And then the cold came, the dark days  
When fear crept into my mind  
You gave me all your love, and all I gave you was goodbye

So this is me swallowing my pride  
Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night  
And I go back to December all the time  
It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you  
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine  
I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind  
I go back to December all the time

I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile  
So good to me, so right  
And how you held me in your arms that September night  
The first time you ever saw me cry  
Maybe this is wishful thinking  
Probably mindless dreaming  
But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right  
I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't  
So if the chain is on your door, I understand

And then he said it's too late to apologies  
It's too late  
He said it's too late to apologies  
It's too late  
And I said, this is me swallowing my pride  
Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night  
(It's too late to apologise)  
And I go back to December all the time  
It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you  
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine  
(It's too late to apologise)

He said you're not sorry  
No, no, no  
You're not sorry  
No, no, no  
You're not sorry  
No, no, no  
You're not sorry.

"It's true, isn't it?" Finn demanded, getting up from his seat, his fists clenched by his side as he looked between Quinn and Puck.

"What are you talking about?" Puck asked, as it seemed Quinn was unable to speak. It was clear that song was for him and he could see from the faces of the glee club that they already knew what was happening.

"You're the father, aren't you? It's your baby," Finn snapped, Mike and Matt getting up, sensing a fight was about to go down.

"Yes, _she's _my baby," Puck nodded, getting up also, crossing the room to stand before Quinn, protecting her.

"So, all that stuff in the hot tub? You just made that up?" Finn asked, looking to Quinn who was in tears now.

"I am so sorry," she whispered, partially hidden behind Puck. He was her safety, the only safety she had. Even if he hated her, he would still protect the baby, and she was glad of that.

"You slept with my girl!" Finn yelled, attempting to lunge at Puck, Mike and Matt holding him back.

"You slept with Rachel before we slept together, so don't try to act like a saint. Quinn lied because she was scared. That's not a crime," Puck replied calmly, feeling her bump against his back, her small hand grabbing hold of the back of his shirt.

"Screw this! I'm done with you!" Finn shouted at Quinn, pointing right at her. "I'm done with all of you!" He added, kicking over a chair before storming out of the room, Quinn's sobs being the only sound in the room.

* * *

"Hey," Puck sighed, joining Quinn on the stairs to the parking lot. The whole school knew the truth now, and he had already broke three noses after hearing the names they were calling her. He didn't blame her for hiding out here.

"I ruined everything," Quinn whispered, staring out at the parking lot. "I ruined us, I ruined you, I ruined your friendship with Finn, your reputation. I ruined my family, my family's reputation. I ruined our chances of winning sectionals next week. I've hurt so many people."

"Things have a way of ruining themselves. It's not your fault," he argued, wiping away the tear that fell down her cheek.

"What do I do now? There's no way I can keep the baby now. I don't have a home to bring her home too. It's my fault. All of this," she sighed, rubbing her bump sadly. She hadn't meant to cause this much trouble.

"I want you to come home with me. I know you're upset now, but I want to be with you, I'm gonna do everything I can to show you that we can do this. Together, as a family," he told her, shifting to kneel before her so he could see her.

Quinn smiled but shook her head, sighing and tilting her head back as raindrops began to fall. "I can't. I can't hurt you again. Not ever. Not you."

"Look at me. We've both made mistakes here, but this is our chance to fix things. Do you love me?" He asked, studying her eyes, Quinn sniffing sadly.

"Yes," she whispered. "I love you."

"Come home with me," he urged, stroking her cheek, the rain falling faster around them.

"Did you love me?" She asked, her voice soft and unsure.

"Yes, especially now," he murmured, bringing her close to kiss her, holding her close as it rained harder, washing away their past, their mistakes. "Come home with me."

"Ok."

* * *

"She looks like you," Puck smiled as they stood by the window, Quinn exhausted from both regionals and giving birth. "Do you want to keep her?"

Quinn smiled and pressed her hand against the glass, Beth sleeping peacefully behind the glass, not knowing her future was being discussed.

"Yes," Quinn answered with a smile. "Do you?"

"Yes," Puck grinned, taking her hand in his, squeezing tight.

"Did you love me?" She asked softly, her eyes still on her daughter. Her perfect thing.

"Yes, especially now."

This time it wasn't the rain, but Quinn's tears that left them wet as they kissed, holding each other close. But just as the rain had been, her tears were happy.

It may have been too late to apologize to him, but it wasn't too late for them or for their love.

They were a family.

_So don't you worry your pretty little mind, cause people throw rocks at_

_Things that shine and that makes love look hard._

_The stakes are high, the water's rough,_

_But this love is_

_Ours._

* * *

**_I apologise for making Quinn kind of the bad guy, but I think Puck deserved a right to be hurt and angry with her lying about Beth being Finn's baby._**

**_Please review and have a great day :) _**

**_Songs used: One Republic- Too Late To Apologize and _**

**_Taylor Swift- Back To December/Too Late To Apologize/You're Not Sorry_**

**_Song lyrics used: Taylor Swift- Ours_**


End file.
